The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) calls on the Filipino people, especially the youth, to oppose the plan of the Duterte regime to restore compulsory military training for college level students as this will only be used for “fascist mind-conditioning” and for mobilizing the youth in Duterte’s “all-out war against the people.”

Duterte on Tuesday approved of the plan to restore mandatory Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) for Grade 11 and 12 students and has certified this proposed law as urgent.

The AFP wants to immediately restore the ROTC in order to serve as training ground for additional officers in the AFP in the effort to increase the size of the military to be used in the all-out war against the New People’s Army (NPA).

The proposal claims that its objective in restoring the ROTC is to “instill patriotism, love of country, moral and spiritual values, respect for human rights.”

“This is pure hogwash,” said the CPP. “The AFP is the antithesis of patriotism, having been a tool for colonial subjugation when it was first created by the US imperialists as the Philippine Scouts.” The CPP pointed out that the AFP continues to be guided by US counter-insurgency doctrine and remain reliant on US funding and arms support.

“The Party calls on the students and youth to unite and oppose the return of the ROTC,” said the CPP. “The ROTC will only subject the students to the abusive military trainings, corrupt influences, fascist mind-conditioning and pro-US psywar of the AFP.”